Quinnell Smith : MMM Program - Segal Design Institute, Northwestern University

Quinnell Smith Product Manager at Starbucks

About

Quinnell Smith is a Product Manager at Starbucks, where she works on the beverage team leading end-to-end product launches and innovation strategy, collaborating closely with cross-functional partners to bring new ideas from concept to market. Her role blends creativity, strategy, and execution to shape beverage experiences in the U.S. market.

Prior to graduate school, Quinnell spent three years at Deloitte Consulting as a Functional Lead on large-scale eCommerce transformations, specializing in Salesforce Commerce Cloud and order management systems. She supported B2C and B2B clients across the wine, luxury automotive, and agriculture industries, developing a foundation in translating technical requirements into scalable, customer-centered solutions.

Quinnell is a MMM alumni and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Industrial Design from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her interdisciplinary background and passions continue to shape her approach to product leadership, grounded in engineering principles, human-centered design, and business strategy.

Q & A

How has MMM made a difference in your career?

My MMM education and experience have given me a rose-colored lens through which I navigate my career. It has empowered me to lead with empathy, curiosity, and excitement when tackling business challenges, while also grounding my thinking in the strong Kellogg business foundation needed to recommend solutions that are viable, feasible, data-driven, and built to resonate in the market.

MMM has also dramatically expanded my world! Staying connected with classmates, alumni, and industry leaders keeps me tapped into emerging trends shaping the market on a global scale. That sense of connection, both intellectually and geographically, continues to energize me and remains one of the most meaningful and lasting parts of the MMM experience.

What value do you think MMM graduates bring to industry now?

MMM graduates bring a thoughtful balance of customer empathy and business perspective. They tend to their work with care and ownership, whether they’re building their own venture or contributing within a team. With a strong foundation in user research, prototyping, and storytelling, MMM graduates help move ideas forward in ways that are responsible, inclusive, and built for long-term impact and value.

What advice do you have for a student just starting the MMM Program?

Explore everything the MMM experience, and Chicago has to offer! Have fun with your MMM and Kellogg cohort. Build memories and friendships that last well beyond the program. Chicago is rich with design and innovation firms, so make the most of those connections and learn from them while you can. Also, use this time to discover which parts of the design thinking process energize you most and where your strengths really lie. I found that combining this exploration with personal growth and values-based classes helped me decide on my next career step.